Guest Services Agent - Sales Associate (Full-Time)

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 17,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO and holidays

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with employer match

Job summary

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is seeking a Guest Services Agent – Sales Associate to create a memorable guest experience at the main gate and throughout the zoo. You will assist guests with ticketing, memberships, and encounters while promoting Zoo attractions and season passes.

This on-site role requires friendly communication, cash handling accuracy, and the ability to work a flexible schedule including weekends and special events.

Qualifications

• Minimum of six months related experience in guest services or retail.
• Proficient in cash handling procedures.
• Familiarity with a Point-of-Sale (POS) system.

Responsibilities

• Interact in a consistently pleasant and helpful manner with guests and staff.
• Receive and verify opening cash and perform monetary transactions.
• Promote memberships, tickets, and zoo encounters at the main gate.
• Maintain cleanliness and guest safety at all times, including rides and shuttles.
• Communicate with staff via radio and assist with guest issue resolution.

Skills

Cash handling

POS system

Customer service

Communication

Teamwork

Tools

POS software

Job description

General Summary

The Guest Services Agent - Sales Associate is a significant position responsible for creating an exceptional guest experience that is exciting, engaging, and entertaining. All Guest Service Agent – Sales Associate will provide guests with information in accordance with the Zoo’s goals; including but not limited to Sales Associate, membership programs, encounters, and other Zoo attractions. Additionally, the Guest Services Agent – Sales Associate will support the Zoo’s mission to save wildlife and protect wild places and contribute to its environmental, social, governance sustainability, conservation, education, and DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion) goals.

Essential Functions

Primary Functions

• Interact in aconsistently pleasant and helpful manner to fellow employees, guests, vendors,and other visitors of the Zoo and demonstrate the highest standards of internaland external customer service;
• Receiveand verify accurate distribution of opening cash;
• Performaccurate and efficient monetary transactions and maintain precise dailyrecords;
• Takeresponsible measures to safeguard all acquired revenue;
• Reconciledaily transactions with Cash Room including all cash, charges, and discounts;
• Provideguests with information on all aspects of the Zoo experience such as exhibits,on-ground activities (including times and locations), routes through the Zoo,construction, Shuttles, train, and membership program information;
• Provide guest control,including challenging situations;
• Use a campus wide radiosystem to communicate information;
• Maintain cleanliness at worklocations;
• Ensure guest safety at alltimes;
• Load and unload guest responsibilitiesassociated with Zoo shuttles;
• Load and unload guestresponsibilities associated with amusement rides;
• If reassigned due to business need, assist withcompleting daily preventative maintenance on all Zoo rides, shuttle, and train;
• Monitor and validatememberships of guests at the Zoo entrance;
• Promote all sales functionsat the main gate, including but not limited to; general admission, traintickets, wristbands, carousel vouchers, camel rides (seasonally), penguinencounters as well as membership sales and fulfillments.
• Promote sales in a mannerthat will enable the Zoo to meet or exceed established annual membershipprogram sales goals
• Perform other duties asassigned; and,
• Adhere to all policies andprocedures of the Zoo.

Communication (Internal and External)

• Responsible for keeping theDirector, Managers, and Supervisors fully updated on any issues that may occurduring daily operations;
• Respond appropriately toguests’ questions, comments, or concerns;
• Communicate with fellow GuestServices Agents by radio contact as needed following Zoo radio etiquette andprotocol at all times; and,
• Contact an appropriate staffmember necessary to resolve guest issues.

Management of Resources (Financial,Human Resources, Facilities)

• Assist in maintaining accurate documentation incompliance with safety standards to include daily checklists, maintenance logs,and training hours logs;
• Meet guidelines of the CashDiscrepancy policy on a consistent basis;
• Distribute Zoo literature,including but not limited to:maps, and event flyers, while maintainingaccurate supply of the same; and,
• Monitor guests’ behavior toensure their safety on and around the rides, shuttle, and train.

Minimum Qualifications

Hospitality

• Friendly and outgoing;
• Possess a positive andpatient attitude;
• Possess excellent verbalcommunication skill, as well as writing and math skills (i.e. addition,subtraction, multiplication, division, and percentages); and,
• Adaptability-Willingness to work until the last guest hasleft Zoo grounds each scheduled day.

Education

• Minors(14 to 17 years of age) may be considered for employment by the Human ResourcesDepartment at the Zoo. However, minorsare required to furnish an authorized work permit agreement with the necessarysignatures to legally work at the Zoo.

Experience/Training

• Minimum of six months relatedexperience and/or training;
• Proficient in cash handlingprocedures;
• Familiarity with a Point ofSale (POS) system environment; and,

Working Conditions

• Must be able to stand andremain active for an eight-hour shift;
• Must be able to sit uprightfor long periods of time;
• Mustbe able to walk large areas of the Zoo as needed;
• Must be able to work in anoutdoor weather environment in all seasons and weather, includingheat/humidity, cold temperatures, and/or wet conditions;
• Ability to work a flexibleschedule to include weekends, holidays, and special events;
• Must be able to exert up to35 pounds of force to lift, push, pull, carry, or otherwise move objects; and,
• Exposure to potential environmental hazards such as poison oak/ivy, uneven terrain, insect bites/stings, and Hepatitis B depending on the position.

Equipment

• Mustbe able to operate a variety of equipment including two-way radio, rides,computer, computerized register, and telephone.

Traits Desirable

• Ability to work withindividuals from a wide variety of ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds;and,
• Ability to identify andresolve guest issues.

Benefits

• We offer an excellent benefits package including 24days of Paid Time Off (PTO), Sick and Safe Leave, and 2 paid holidays.
• Eligible for medical, dental, vision, short- andlong-term disability, and life insurance.
• 401(k) with employer match.

Disclaimer

The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all personnel so classified. Therefore, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change.